ABOUT US

Corporate Information

Corporate Philosophy and History

Corporate Philosophy

Inheriting the spirit of ingenuity and taking on challenges from our founder Kokichi Mikimoto, we provide products and services of the absolute highest standards, contributing to the beauty and health of our customers.

Code of Conduct

１．We are committed to developing products and services that are environmentally conscious, engaging in sound business practices, and contributing to local communities and society, thereby supporting the advancement of a sustainable future.
２．We respect diversity and strive to create an environment where every employee can maximize their potential. With a spirit of unity, we work together in harmony, cooperation, gratitude, and compassion to achieve our goals as one team.
３．We seek to understand and respect our business partners, maintaining relationships with integrity and moderation. Through fair and proper transactions, we aim to enhance mutual value and foster coexistence.
４．We listen attentively to our customers, anticipate their expectations, and reflect actions that exceed those expectations in our work, with the goal of creating new value.
５．We comply with all laws and internal regulations, and act with honesty and integrity in accordance with social norms and ethical standards.

Founder Kokichi Mikimoto

Our founder, Kokichi Mikimoto, was known as the Pearl King and dedicated his life to pearls. He made history in 1893 by becoming the first person to ever succeed in culturing pearls. The hope of our founder, Kokichi Mikimoto, “to adorn the women of the world in pearls,” has been handed down to us to this day, 80 years since our founding.

History

Pearls had been merely an accidental byproduct of nature.
But Kokichi Mikimoto succeeded in culturing pearls for the first time ever, bringing the beauty of pearls to women all over the world.
It was the hope of our founder, Kokichi Mikimoto, “to adorn the women of the world in pearls.”
Even now, after more than a century since the birth of cultured pearls, this wish has been handed down to us, who now apply it to cosmetics, as well.

1800s

1858: The birth of our founder, Kokichi Mikimoto.
1888: Pearl culturing begins.
1893: The world’s first cultured pearls (5 semi-circular pearls) are harvested for the first time ever.
1899: The establishment of the Mikimoto Pearl Store on Namiki Street in Ginza, Tokyo lays the foundation for the modern jewelry industry in Japan.
* K.MIKIMOTO & CO.,LTD. (Group Company)

1900s

1905: Successful cultivation of perfect round pearls.
1940: The manufacture and sale of pearls are discontinued as a result of a luxury goods prohibition order during World War II.
1942: Patent application for calcium phosphate made from pearl shells or pearls. (Patent No. 157205)
1943: MIKIMOTO PHARMACEUTICAL CO.,LTD. is established.
Pearl science to utilize pearls in beauty and health begins.
Patent application for improved calcium phosphate production method. (Patent No. 173592)
1951: Mikimoto Pearl Island opens, bringing pearl culture to the world.
* Mikimoto Pearl Island Co., Ltd. (Group Company)
1966: Cosmetics containing our Pearl Conchiolin® formula are developed, marking our first step toward becoming a comprehensive cosmetics manufacturer.
1970: MIKIMOTO PHARMACEUTICAL CO.,LTD. begins selling cosmetics.
1982: Launched fragrance- and color-free cosmetics.
1985: Installation of ultrapure water production equipment in our cosmetics manufacturing plants.
Begins making cosmetics focusing on water ahead of others in the industry.
1992: Ultra-high-pressure emulsification equipment is installed in our cosmetics manufacturing plants, quickly introducing nanotechnology to our cosmetics.

2000s

2005: Our esthetic salon opens at the MIKIMOTO COSMETICS Ginza flagship store.
2008: Pure Pearl Mineral® is successfully blended into cosmetics.
Pearl Collagen® is successfully blended into cosmetics.
2010: We open the first MIKIMOTO COSMETICS counters in department stores.
We also release our order-made cosmetics line, Pearlism.
2011: Successful acquisition of information on genes related to the formation of mother-of-pearl.
International Symposium on Pearl Research is held at Yayoi Auditorium, the University of Tokyo.
2012: Successful sequencing of the Akoya pearl oyster genome.
2013: 120th anniversary of the first MIKIMOTO pearls.
70th anniversary of the establishment of Mikimoto Pharmaceutical.
2015: Pearl research laboratories are established.
2016: ISO 22716 (ISO Cosmetics GMP) compliance certification.
2018: We sponsor the International Symposium on Pearl Research 2018 (Mikimoto Pearl Island Museum Hall).
2019: We start providing treatment menu to Raffles, one of the finest hotels located in Singapore.
Pearl Conchiolin®W is successfully blended into cosmetics.
2021: 50th anniversary of the first release of the MOONPEARL skincare series.

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